The Spark Behind Missy Montaigne

Wayne & Young Layla

My granddaughter, Layla, was an infant when I set out to write a book for her. At first I had no clue what kind of story to tell. I assumed that I would make her the protagonist and that I would include characters based on other family members as I did in my first book, The Boy With No Name, which I wrote for my grandson, Owen. But that’s all I had and so I kept thinking and coming up with ideas, dismissing them, and conjuring up others.

Layla’s mom, my daughter Katy, and her sister-in-law, Cristi, were and still are, very close. When they get together, they have a tendency, often after a glass of wine or two, to refer to each other as “Miss” especially when they are being sarcastic or gossipy. It occurred to me that in the future they might start calling Layla “Miss” too. Or maybe “Missy.” And so the name Missy stuck in my head.

Wayne & Layla (Advocate for Literacy)

As I searched for story ideas, I remembered a genealogy chart my father’s cousin had put together back in 1985. She was applying to join the Daughters of the American Revolution and was required to prove that our family had ancestors who participated in the war. From her research, she found a few. One of them was a courier for George Washington. His name was Benjamin Montagne. There are a couple of different spellings for his last name on the chart but I decided to use Montaigne since that is a name I had heard before. Right after that, Missy Montaigne popped into my mind and I really liked the sound of it. That could be Benjamin’s fictional sister. And then the play on the famous Paul Revere ride to warn the colonists that British soldiers were on the attack came to me, and I had my title…The Midnight Ride of Missy Montaigne.

I have been fortunate that the titles of four out of my five books came to me very early in the process. I didn’t know how fortunate until it didn’t happen that way for Loyal Son (and it hasn’t happened yet with the sequel to it that I am currently writing). With a title, comes a direction and ultimately the story. Without one, it is a struggle to find the plot or theme. Once I had the title for Layla’s book, it was obvious that it would take place during the revolution and that Layla/Missy would go on some type of ride to warn of impending danger. It made sense to have the story take place in Philadelphia during the time the British invaded and occupied the city for nine months during the war. I delved further into the genealogy and found a couple more ancestors who participated in the conflict, Amos Addis and John Davis, and I used their names in the story as well.

I have always been interested in American history and have read many great fiction and non-fiction authors on the subject, so writing about the time when our country was created appealed to me. The first book I remember becoming totally engrossed in was Johnny Tremaine, a novel about a fourteen year old boy in Boston who gets caught up in the revolt. He participates in the Boston Tea Party and also becomes a spy. I was eight years old when I read it and I remember there was a Disney movie from the book that came out around the same time. The story had a huge impact on me. I imagined myself as Johnny, helping to defeat the British. Looking back, I believe it stimulated my life-long interest in that time period and may have even led to my coming up with the idea for Missy all these years later. 

As a young boy in Philadelphia, the 4th of July was my favorite holiday, outside of Christmas of course. My birthday is on the first and my parents always threw a big party. My aunts, uncles and cousins came. We lined up early for the exciting parade a few blocks away and afterwards walked back to our house. I got presents from everyone and when night fell we watched fireworks from the front porch. It wasn’t until we moved to California when I was nine years old that I fully realized the birthday party wasn’t just for me. It was for the country as well. 

Family Genealogy

I have never been much of a “flag waver” but I’ve always carried a deep sense of patriotism and appreciation for the basic freedoms we enjoy. That patriotism remains even after years of studying our history and recognizing the mistakes, failures and misguided policies of our past and present. I remain convinced that there is greatness in us and our moral compass will prevail. Being an American has nothing to do with race, religion, ethnicity or any other category that some want to dwell on to separate us. It is about freedom - freedom of speech, of spiritual belief, of thought, and of equal opportunity. 

When I wrote The Midnight Ride of Missy Montaigne, I didn’t consciously think about all of that. I simply wanted to share my ancestors’ legacy - their role in the birth of our nation - with my family today. Learning history is essential, both the good and the bad. I believe we still contain an abiding spirit to do better and I want my grandchildren to know of our great foundations and aspirations while understanding that our failures to consistently live up to those goals doesn’t mean we should abandon the effort. I hope I have succeeded at least in a small way to pass that on.

Happy 4th of July!

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Celebrate the Spirit of Independence with a Heroine for the Ages 

The Midnight Ride of Missy Montaigneby Wayne Diehl

This 4th of July, discover a story that brings the American Revolution to life through the eyes of a brave young girl—and the granddaughter who finds her voice through history.

When thirteen-year-old Layla Rae is sent to her grandfather’s ranch while her parents struggle to save their marriage, she feels lost. But a fall from her horse and a broken ankle lead her to an unexpected discovery—a forgotten book about her ancestors in Revolutionary War-era Philadelphia.

As Layla reads, she’s swept into the daring world of Missy Montaigne, a fearless Founding Mother who risks everything to save her cousin from British captivity—and may just tip the scales in the fight for liberty.

A stirring tale of courage, legacy, and the enduring promise of freedom, The Midnight Ride of Missy Montaigne is the perfect read for young patriots and history lovers alike.

Celebrate history. Discover courage. Pass it on.